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Ancoats Supplementary Planning Guidance
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Urb
anvillage
Sup
plem
entary P
lann
ing G
uid
ance
Ancoats Urban Village
Ancoats was the world's first
industrial suburb. At the height of its
success, it was an innovative area
driving Manchester's premier position
as a manufacturing and trading City.
As many as 13,000 people lived and
worked here, where neither living
nor working conditions were good,
something we often forget when
looking at buildings from another era.
If Ancoats is to become more than
a fading monument to its past, our
challenge is to renew its purpose.
This means grasping the tradition of
innovation and putting old buildings
back into new uses and constructing
new buildings of quality to
complement those that already exist.
Most of all, it means getting people to
once again live, work and play here in
an environment that reflects our
modern aspirations.
The City Council is committed to
delivering a sustainable future for
Ancoats. Supplementary Planning
Guidance for the area is one of the
means of achieving this objective. It
sets out the planning framework for
regeneration, recognising that Ancoats
is a heritage area of outstanding value
that needs to look forward if it is to have
a long-term and viable future.
The key message contained within
this Guidance is quality - quality of
concept, quality of design and quality
of implementation. Ancoats deserves
nothing less.
Foreword
Councillor Richard Leese Leader of the Council
Councillor Val Stevens Executive Member for
Planning & Transport
Jim Ramsbottom Chairman -
Ancoats Urban Village Company
Contents Foreword
Introduction 1
The Vision for Ancoats 2
Conservation Character of Ancoats 3
Development principles in Ancoats 4
Economic Development Principles
Housing Development Principles
Urban Design Principles
Conservation Principles
Public Realm Principles
Highway Network Principles
Car Parking Principles
Sustainability Principles
Stewardship and Security
Village Core 5
Rochdale Canal Zone 6
Oldham Road Zone 7
Poland Street Zone 8
The Public Realm 9
Implementation 10
Appendix
Planning Policy Context
Councillor Richard Leese Leader of the Council
Councillor Val Stevens Executive Member for
Planning & Transport
Jim Ramsbottom Chairman -
Ancoats Urban Village Company
IntroductionThis document has been produced to help convey the vision
for Ancoats as a vibrant area of the City which will contain a
variety of uses, both within buildings and within the area, with
sufficient living and working population to ensure its long
term future. The content has been the subject of much
discussion with key stakeholders (particularly English
Heritage) as well as the more formal consultation process. This
has been a time consuming process involving changes to
reflect the passage of time as well as taking on board the
comments of consultees.
Whilst by virtue of Section 54A of the Town
and Country Planning Act 1990, only policies
in the development plan can have a special
status, supplementary planning guidance may
be taken into account as a material
consideration. Planning Policy Guidance Note
number 12, "Development Plans and Regional
Planning", Paragraph 3.19, states that ..."the
weight accorded to it (the SPG) will increase if
it has been prepared in consultation with the
public and has been the subject of a council
resolution."
In 1995, the City Council adopted The Manchester
Plan, which is the Unitary Development Plan for
the City. In Part 1 of the UDP (as modified and
adopted in December 1998), Ancoats has been
designated as an urban renewal area under Policy
R1.1. In Part 2 of the UDP, Policies 14, 15, 16, 17,
and 18 in Area Proposals 4(c) relate specifically
to Ancoats. This Supplementary Planning
Guidance for Ancoats was endorsed by the City
Council for the purposes of consultation with a
view to formal adoption. It does not form part
of the statutory Unitary Development Plan but:
■ its proposals derive from and are consistent
with the UDP, and other agreed planning
policy documents as set out in Appendix 1;
■ it provides advice/interpretation, additional
justification, and information on key parts of
the UDP relating to Ancoats;
■ it has been approved by the Council for
interim development control purposes and
will be a material consideration in the
determining of planning applications;
■ it provides a framework which will help
decision - making by funding agencies about
bids and schemes that may come forward;
■ it is a policy document which sets the context
for agreeing priorities for regeneration.
This guidance will be used in the determination
of planning and other applications, and
therefore, applicants will be expected to
demonstrate how their proposals address
the issues that it covers. Also, applicants are
advised to refer to the full text of the Unitary
Development Plan, and "A Guide to
Development in Manchester", together with
relevant guidance from Central Government,
for example, Planning Policy Guidance Notes,
and especially "Planning and the Historic
Environment" - PPG15.
Developers are advised to have
early discussions with the local
planning authority and the Ancoats
Urban Village Company regarding
their proposals for the area.
Supplementary Planning Guidance is a means by which a local planning
authority can prepare planning guidance which can expand the policies
and proposals of the relevant statutory development plan to address
particular circumstances, and which can be helpful for those preparing
planning applications.
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Conservation Area Boundary
Ancoats
Ancoats contains some of the earliest urban
steam-driven mill buildings and was the world's
first industrial suburb. It has one of the largest
concentrations of Grade II and Grade II* Listed
Buildings in the City of Manchester, some dating
from the 1790s. Much of the Georgian and
Victorian architecture survives to this day.
The significance of the area was first formally
recognised in 1989 with its designation as a
conservation area. More recently, the area has
been accepted, along with other areas of canal
heritage, onto the UK shortlist of sites for
nomination to the UN for World heritage Site
status. The listed buildings and the conservation
area boundary are shown on the adjacent plan.
Between 1996 and 1999, a successful
Conservation Area Partnership between the City
Council and English Heritage operated in Ancoats,
judicious use of repairs notices and in some
cases, Urgent Works notices, alongside the carrot
of financial assistance, saved many buildings from
irretrievable damage. This action helped to “stop
the rot”, what is needed now is the appropriate
investment to bring the area back to life.
Two organisations have been established to
pursue the regeneration of Ancoats. The Ancoats
Urban Village Company is a not-for-profit
company, set up to facilitate the overall
development of the Urban Village. The company
has a broad strategic responsibility for the physical
regeneration of the area and, in addition, will
undertake a wide variety of tasks from promotion
of the Village, through to managing the
implementation of projects. Manchester City
Council has nominated the Company as its
primary delivery agent for the area. The Ancoats
Buildings Preservation Trust is a registered charity
dedicated to preserving and securing viable and
economic future uses for key historic buildings in
the area, within the context of the Urban Village
Company's wider regeneration framework.
Ancoats is one of four neighbourhoods
(together with the Northern Quarter, Miles
Platting, and the Ashton Canal Corridor) which
fall within Eastside Regeneration, a Single
Regeneration Budget 2 (SRB2) initiative. This SRB
Partnership is committed to the regeneration of
all parts of the SRB area. As well as protecting
and enhancing Ancoats, Eastside Regeneration
seeks to ensure that Ancoats is better keyed in
to City Centre initiatives. Of equal importance
is the need to guide investment in Ancoats in
such a way that it contributes to social and
community regeneration within the wider
Ancoats and Miles Platting communities.
In the wider context of East Manchester, one
of the first new Urban Regeneration Companies
has been established, along the lines suggested
in the Urban Task Force Report. New East
Manchester was launched in November 1999
and has assumed a strategic responsibility for
all existing initiatives in Ancoats, Miles Platting,
Clayton, Beswick and Openshaw. All activity
within Ancoats will need to complement this
wider perspective. One of the key objectives
of this SPG is to ensure congruence between
these different levels of decision-making.
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Bloom Street
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Blossom Street
Jersey Street
Naval Street
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Blossom Street
Jersey Street
Port Street
Tib Street
Oldham Street
Swan
Street
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Sherratt Street
Ben
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Ben
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Polan
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ROCHDALE CANAL
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Conservation Area Boundary
The objective is to create a living and
working quarter, immediately adjacent to
the City Centre of Manchester.
N N
1 Beehive Mill 2 New Little (Dixon) Mill 3 Fireproof (Waulk) Mill4 Union Mill/Murray Mill5 Jersey Mill6 St Peter’s Church 7 Victoria Square 8 Sedgwick Mill9 Sedgwick New Mill10 Paragon Mill11 Royal Mill12 Derros Building13 Daily Express Building14 Crown & Kettle
The Vision for Ancoats
Ancoats will become a place
where people will want to live,
work, and visit. There will be a
wide choice of housing, varying
in price and tenure in new
buildings, as well as in the
historic mills. There will be
business premises of varying size
and type, from small workshops
to office suites. People will find
local shops, restaurants and pubs.
Ancoats will be a lively but safe place in which to live
and work. There will be more jobs and new types of
work, as new businesses are attracted to the area.
Ancoats will also be attractive to visitors. There will be
new public spaces, overlooked by shops, cafes, bars,
restaurants and pubs.
Leisure uses such as
clubs, community
facilities, galleries and
museums will also have
a place in the life of
this neighbourhood.
The key strategic aims for development in Ancoats
are as follows :
■ To provide an attractive place to live,
work and visit so that Ancoats becomes
a sustainable extension of the city.
■ To safeguard and protect the valuable built
heritage of Ancoats, to ensure it plays its full
part in the regeneration of the area.
■ To reflect locally, the principles of the Guide
to Development in Manchester.
■ To develop a sustainable, diverse, and
integrated residential and business
community.
Conservation Character of Ancoats
Form
The rectangular shaped area is bounded on its
south-western edge by Great Ancoats Street, a
major traffic route and part of the Inner Ring
Road surrounding the City Centre. This street
separates Ancoats both physically and
psychologically from the commercial activity
associated with the City Centre.
Another major trafficked route provides the
longer north-western boundary, Oldham Road,
being a radial connecting the city centre with
towns to the north and the motorway
network. The north-eastern boundary is less
well defined taking in some 1980s industrial
units, but running parallel with Poland Street.
The south-eastern boundary is defined by the
Rochdale Canal which is included in the
conservation area. The evocative 19th Century
illustrations of the Ancoats Mills aligning
Redhill Street, alongside the canal, have
ensured that the area is known the world over.
The area is traversed by a series of streets in
both a north-west/south-east and north-east/
south-west axis, creating a grid network similar
to that in the City Centre. This grid is almost
consistently at 90º, with the notable exception
of the area closest to the south-western
boundary. Here a second grid is angled
parallel to Great Ancoats Street. The clash
between the two geometries permits some
interesting architectural forms. The grid system
allows for permeability of movement, although
it is less well defined at its north-eastern end.
Block sizes between the streets vary, although
most remain rectangular in plan form. There
are no major changes in land levels throughout
the area, however, there is a slight and gradual
increase in level from the south-west to the
north-east. Consequently, land levels have not
influenced building form although the mill
buildings grouped to the south-east of the area
are clearly related to the Rochdale Canal which
is set in a cutting two or three metres lower
than the surrounding streets. Only one street
crosses the canal in the area, providing an
interesting architectural feature in the bridge.
Views into the conservation area are obtained
from the two roads which form the south-
western and north-western boundaries, but
there are long-range views from the City
Centre along Oldham Street and Newton
Street, and from the Rochdale Canal Basin off
Ducie Street. The substantial brick massing of
the Ancoats mills can also be viewed from the
Ashton Canal to the east.
Located to the north of Manchester's City Centre, Ancoats holds a
unique place in the history of the western world's industrialisation and
organisation of society. It was the world’s first industrial suburb, and
still has buildings, streets and artefacts dating from the end of the 18th
century. The complex of mill buildings in close proximity to the canals,
residential buildings housing the mill workers and associated buildings
containing other facilities, survive in varying degrees to provide one of
Britain’s most dramatic townscapes.
Given the relatively level character of the land
and the lack of high surrounding land or man-
made features, there is little opportunity to
view the area other than from ground level.
Nevertheless the different heights of individual
buildings combine with a variety of pitched
roofs, chimneys, towers, gables and turrets to
create a skyline of considerable interest.
Scale
There is little consistency in the scale of
buildings within the area. Individual two storey
domestic properties contrast with massive mill
buildings rising to 6-7 storeys. The footprints
similarly vary. Most of the 19th century
buildings consist of solid brickwork with
window openings, the rhythm of which helps
establish the scale of built form.
The mill buildings located in the east of the
area are generally built to the back of
pavement following the street pattern, helping
to establish the 'street-wall' concept, so well
defined in Manchester generally. Some mills
have been grouped around a central courtyard.
The same principle is adopted in the early
residential scheme of Victoria Square.
Along the two main boundary roads a
contrasting mix of scales within neighbouring
buildings is evident. Individual three-storey,
domestically scaled, properties align the road
alongside massive buildings like the former
Express Newspaper Building (the "Black Glass
Building"). Significantly different from both of
these forms are the terraced properties centred
on Anita Street. Interestingly, however all
these buildings are constructed to the back of
pavement and all contribute to the street-wall
character. Nevertheless, plot widths vary
dramatically, with domestically-scaled sites
situated on the two main road frontages as
well as in the centre of the conservation area,
sitting alongside the massive plots occupied by
the mills and properties like the residential
Victoria Square and the "Black Glass" building.
Material & Details
The Georgian, Victorian and Edwardian
buildings follow the general palette of
There is little
consistency in the
scale of buildings
within the area.
Individual two
storey domestic
properties contrast
with massive mill
buildings rising to
6-7 storeys high.
materials employed elsewhere in the City
Centre: red/orange brick, terracotta and/or
buff coloured sandstone details, pitched slate
roofs. On the main road frontages other
coloured stone, tiles and glass are added to the
general range and it is here that the tri-partite
subdivision of elevations common to the
commercial areas of the City Centre is
displayed, i.e. over-large ground floors, often
heavily modelled, with a more regular middle
portion and topped by a varied upper level
containing a variety of rooftop devices to
create an interesting skyline. The industrial
buildings in the centre of the conservation
area are more utilitarian with a repetitive
similarity in terms of window proportions
at all levels. However individual towers and
identifying features create some variety to
the respective mills.
Whilst two 1930s buildings on Great Ancoats
Street display horizontally-proportioned
window fenestration, the majority of earlier
buildings exhibit the traditional characteristics
of vertically proportioned window openings
with the plane of glass set well back from the
plane of brick or masonry. It is this
combination of proportions and deep reveals
in the repetitive window pattern that
establishes the architectural character of the
mill buildings. There is less emphasis on the
corners of buildings in Ancoats compared with
the city centre, but individual buildings do
respect street junctions with architectural
devices, e.g. Victoria Square.
Floor surfaces have been modified since being
originally laid down. Originally, large gritstone
setts covered the carriageways with substantial
stone kerbs restraining riven stone paving
flags, randomly sized but positioned at right
angles to the buildings. A number of
modifications have taken place in the
intervening years with modernised
carriageways and man-made kerbs and paving
flags. The courtyards to the former cotton mills
were mostly covered with a variety of stone
setts bonded in ways which best served the
demands of delivery and service vehicles. These
surfaces, together with the mill buildings
which contain them, are important components
of the area's industrial archaeology.
Landmark Buildings
By a combination of their physical dimensions
and their historical significance to western
society far beyond Manchester, the Royal and
Murray groups of mills dominate the area.
Together with the New Little Mill and Fireproof
Mill, these brick edifices are closely related to
the adjacent Rochdale Canal, although the
canal arms which formerly stretched into the
Conservation Area have been filled in. Beehive
Mill on Jersey Street is situated in the middle of
the area. Originally it too had a canal arm
connection. Whilst construction techniques
varied as technical developments took place,
accompanied by the need to fireproof the mills,
all of them display red brick elevations.
In the heart of the area, situated on the axis of
Sherratt Street, lies the Romanesque style
church of St. Peter's. Although small in
comparison to the mills, it is an important
landmark with its architectural form, significant
tower and swept roof.
The contrasting form of the 6 storey residential
block of Victoria Square, with shops at ground
floor level, architectural emphasis on its four
corners and varied rooftop treatment, sets it
apart as a landmark in the area. Daringly
different is the Black Glass Building, constructed
in 1938 in a combination of black (Vitrolite) and
clear glass. Although a great contrast to the
other properties on Great Ancoats Street, the
seven-storey building is constructed to the back
of pavement and forms part of the street wall.
Whilst buildings such as the above can be
clearly identified, the townscape character of
the area is more accurately defined by the grid
street system with a variety of buildings filling
the blocks. Together, buildings on both sides of
a street create the street wall character of
Ancoats, in common with other parts of the
City Centre.
Development Principles
Economic
■ Ground floors should be encouraged for
active uses which generate pedestrian
movement and offer the opportunity in
appropriate buildings for window displays
e.g. retail, food and drink sales, leisure,
small scale office suites or professional
services. This will help to develop a lively
public realm.
■ Upper floors of buildings could provide
opportunities for a variety of uses
including residential, hotel, leisure,
workspace or office use.
■ Individual developments should be mixed
use wherever practicable.
■ Cultural industries and IT-based uses will be
encouraged.
■ Every effort will be made to ensure the
continuance of suitable low-cost workspace,
in order to safeguard established businesses
and employment.
■ Careful small-area planning and other
measures such as sound proofing, will be
needed to ensure that the provision of a
lively public realm (together with a night-
time economy) does not conflict unduly
with the legitimate needs of a residential
community. However, it is not intended to
create a suburban environment, and
potential occupants will need to balance
potential disturbance against the greater
convenience of a central location.
■ Existing businesses will be encouraged to
remain in Ancoats, except where they are
seen as damaging to wider amenity and to
regeneration possibilities.
Housing
There should be a diversity of residential types
in terms of size, tenure, and price.
The City Council wishes to promote a genuine
balance in the Ancoats residential community
and to create real choice for residents of all
income ranges. Some high value housing for
sale, including loft apartments, will be
encouraged, as will entry-level housing for sale
and/or market renting. Existing supported
housing will be retained. Other forms of housing
provision will be encouraged if they help to
ensure that residents on lower incomes are able
to live in a community which offers housing and
employment close to the City Centre.
Whilst it is anticipated that much of the
residential development will be flats/
apartments, the appropriate development of a
wider range of housing types will not be
discouraged, if opportunities arise.
The intention is to protect and enlarge the
existing economic diversity in Ancoats. Mixed
use, high density developments will be
encouraged to promote vitality and reduce the
need for commuting.
Urban Design
Ancoats contains an historic fabric which is
ready for rejuvenation, combining what is
valued from the past with the best of the new,
whilst retaining the essential character of the
area. The adjacent plan shows landmark and
skyline features which will be helpful in this
context :
■ Building entrances should generally front
onto streets and other areas of public
space.
■ Within their plots, buildings should be sited
so as to create or contribute to a clearly-
defined street frontage. All visible
frontages, including return frontages,
should be treated as part of the main
elevation where they contribute to the
street scene.
■ Street corners should be reinforced by
buildings wherever possible, or at least by
some form of built enclosure. Temporary
measures might include tree planting or tall
railings, but would not include surface level
car parking or open service yards.
■ Infill developments should be of the highest
contemporary design, using good quality
long lasting materials, which reflect and
compliment the established Georgian and
Victorian character of Ancoats. Quality
development will always be sought, as
distinct from a particular architectural or
historic style. By following this approach,
future buildings will take their place as
important elements in the ongoing
evolution of Ancoats.
■ Historic frontages and building lines should
be reinstated where they have begun to
break down. Wherever practicable, plot
sizes should be respected in new designs,
in order to give a varied and organic look
to street facades. New buildings should
maintain the complexity and density of
the street elevations along Great Ancoats
Street. The intention is to ensure the
retention of the urban grain and create
buildings with massing appropriate to the
area.
■ Refurbished buildings should retain and
enhance the character of the original, so
far as this is reasonably practical. Planning
applications should include both condition
and photographic surveys to record original
architectural details.
■ The unique sense of place in Ancoats is
heightened by the diverse scale both of
the buildings and of the relationship of
buildings and the spaces between them.
New developments must also reflect
these relationships.
■ Development schemes should be at a scale,
height, plot ratio, massing, and alignment,
complimentary to the particular part of
Ancoats in which they lie.
■ New development should retain the
traditional street pattern. Permeability
should not be compromised by the
development of 'superblocks' which
subsume existing streets, and which alter
the established grain of the area.
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Redhill Street
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Lever Street
George Leigh StreetGeorge Leigh Street
Bloom Street
Hood Street
Blossom Street
Jersey Street
Naval Street
Newton Street
Blossom Street
Jersey Street
Port Street
Tib Street
Oldham Street
Swan
Street
Mu
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Sherratt Street
Ben
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Ben
gal Street
Rad
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Street
Co
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Ben
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Street
Polan
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New Union Street
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ROCHDALE CANAL
Wad
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Clo
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George Leigh Street
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Hen
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Gu
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Conservation Area Boundary
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Landmarks
Skyline Features
Ancoats contains an historic fabric which is ready for rejuvenation, combining
what is valued from the past with the best of the new, whilst retaining the
essential character of the area.
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Redhill Street
OLDHAM ROAD
Lever Street
George Leigh StreetGeorge Leigh Street
Bloom Street
Hood Street
Blossom Street
Jersey Street
Naval Street
Newton Street
Blossom Street
Jersey Street
Port Street
Tib Street
Oldham Street
Swan
Street
Mu
rray Street
Sherratt Street
Ben
gal Street
Ben
gal Street
Rad
ium
Street
Co
rnell Street
Ben
gal Street
Rad
ium
Street
Polan
d Street
New Union Street
Ro
dn
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utler
Street
ROCHDALE CANAL
Wad
eford
Clo
se
Tariff Street
George Leigh Street
Co
tton
Street
Pickford Street
Hen
ry Street
Gu
n Street
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nservatio
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rea Bo
un
dary
ROCHDALE CANAL
Conservation Area Boundary
SS
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Landmarks
Skyline Features
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■ Variety of building heights and styles
along frontages can produce interest.
New developments should contribute to
this variety, but not be a pastiche of
other building forms. (Planning applications
for new buildings should include street
elevations showing the context of adjacent/
nearby historic buildings).
■ Landmark buildings should be protected,
and new ones created, where appropriate.
■ Protection is needed for axes and vistas,
and opportunities should be sought to
create new ones. Skyline features such as
traditional roof lines, mills, chimneys and
the church tower should be respected.
■ Former canal arms could, in the long-term,
be re-opened. Where redevelopment is being
proposed across the line of a former canal,
the implications for future canal traffic
should be considered carefully. The
presumption will generally be against
permanent closure. Where new building
occurs prior to potential canal re-opening,
new buildings should address former canal
arms, as well as the street.
■ All new developments and changes of use
requiring approval from the City Council
will be examined against the policies for
promoting access for disabled people.
Conservation
Conservation of the historic character of
Ancoats is a prime consideration in relation
to development proposals.
■ Buildings which are listed for their historic
or architectural importance should be
retained, safeguarded, and restored, in
accordance with PPG15.
■ For other non-listed buildings in the
conservation area there remains a general
presumption in favour of retention, where
they make a positive contribution to the
character or appearance of Ancoats.
Account will be taken of the part played
by the building in the architectural or
historic interest of the area and in
particular, of the wider effects of
demolition on the building's surroundings
and the conservation area as a whole.
■ The interior structures and plan forms of
historic buildings may well be of great
interest. Developers should provide listed
building impact assessments for all
conversion schemes involving listed
buildings and comprehensive appraisals
in other cases.
Prospective developers in Ancoats should in all
cases include as part of their research into the
development potential of the site, an initial
assessment of whether the site is known as
likely to contain archaeological remains. Where
necessary, redevelopment should be preceded
by the implementation of a programme of works
in accordance with a written scheme of
investigation, approved by the City Council.
Conservation of the historic character
of Ancoats is a prime consideration in
relation to development proposals.
Public Realm
Public realm works will be undertaken which
will reconcile the different requirements of
users of the public space. Vehicular movement
will not be the predominant consideration, in
this assessment. Improvements to the public
realm will also upgrade the appearance of the
shared environment and be a visible
demonstration that change is taking place in
Ancoats. The use of quality, durable materials
will be essential.
■ Great Ancoats Street has scope for public
art and signage to advertise the increased
activity in Ancoats and the Northern Quarter,
which should respect local heritage.
■ Improved pedestrian access across Great
Ancoats Street is essential.
■ Traffic management within the area will
facilitate essential movement by vehicles, but
at controlled speeds. Whilst there should be
parking for local people, commuter parking
will be discouraged. These objectives will be
met by modifying the traffic management
regime, narrowing streets, waiting restrictions
and some permit holder parking for residents.
■ Pedestrian movement should be promoted by
providing safe, well lit footpaths and using
measures that give priority to pedestrians
over traffic.
■ Pavement edge details and other features will
be emphasised with bands of setts, which will
be integrated into details of new
developments as they appear. Road edges will
have setted bands, which can be coloured
where required to show road markings.
Traditional iron kerb edgings will be retained.
■ Design and use of materials in the public
realm will recognise the needs of disabled
people for accessibility about the area.
■ The style and quality of street lighting will be
enhanced to provide for security and general
amenity. Specific lighting schemes for
particular buildings such as St. Peter's Church
tower, will be encouraged.
■ A public space will be created at the heart of
Ancoats. The space will evolve as the area
regenerates, responding to the developments
as they are created, but the intention is to
ensure that an area adjacent to St. Peters'
becomes the focal point of public activity
within the area.
■ Ancoats presents an opportunity to include
good quality urban art in the rejuvenation
process. Building owners or developers will be
encouraged to commission works of art as
part of their overall investment in
regeneration.
■ More detailed proposals for the Public
Realm are set out in Section 8 below.
Highways Network
It is accepted that Ancoats is a small
neighbourhood which cannot be seen in
isolation from City wide transportation matters.
Nevertheless, the following principles should be
highlighted.
■ Traffic calming measures will increase public
safety by lowering vehicle speeds as
described in the Public Realm Section 3.5
above. Rat running through Ancoats will be
discouraged through traffic management
measures.
■ Proposals will be implemented to create
strong north-south and east-west
movement, by:
i a south to north route along George
Leigh Street;
ii a north to south route using a
combination of Jersey Street and
Blossom Street;
iii an east to west route along Bengal
Street;
iv a west to east route along Radium
Street.
■ Road layout and traffic management
proposals will reflect the City Council's
policy about the hierarchy of road users,
to ensure that the highest priority is given
to the most vulnerable, such as pedestrians,
cyclists and disabled people.
■ Clear pedestrian and vehicular routes
should be established into Ancoats, in
particular into the heart of the Village from
the Northern Quarter. The three pedestrian
crossings over Great Ancoats Street should
be upgraded using materials and detailing
appropriate for the street and to aid
visibility. A fourth crossing could be
provided on the west side of the Lever
Street junction.
■ Provision for secure bicycle parking should
be included in development schemes and
within the public realm works where
possible.
■ The traffic management system will allow
for easy access through the area for a
possible bus route.
■ Linkages to the adjacent areas of Miles
Platting and the Cardroom Estate will be
improved in order that adjoining
communities can readily benefit from
the increasing employment opportunities
in Ancoats.
Car Parking
Some level of secure car parking is essential for
Ancoats. However, its proximity to the City
Centre means that commuter car parking could
inhibit development in Ancoats.
■ Developers should plan for a likely increase
in car ownership in Ancoats, as the number
of residents and the level of business
activity increases. Residents only parking
schemes will be considered.
■ Car parking within Ancoats should be
provided and managed in order to provide
for local need.
■ In the short-term, existing surface parking
will continue to be used. However, there
will be a presumption against new
commuter parking.
■ Any temporary surface car parking to meet
local needs must be appropriately enclosed
and landscaped, secure and supervised. The
visual impact of surface car parking should
be minimised.
■ Wherever possible, developers should
provide parking within the curtilage of
the site, or in shared multi-storey facilities.
Limited-stay, on-street parking will be
provided to ensure that people visiting
Ancoats for business or pleasure will be
able to park.
■ Car parking at basement level or inside
internal courtyards may be acceptable.
In historic buildings, particularly the mills,
such car parking arrangements would be
acceptable only where it did not harm the
internal and external character of the
building. It will not be acceptable to have
frontage car parking which sets buildings
back from the street.
■ For business premises, the emphasis will be
upon workable rather than ideal servicing
arrangements. Car parking will be restricted
to the operational minimum needed to make
the scheme work.
■ For residential schemes, the required level of
parking will depend upon the nature of the
development and the anticipated needs of
the occupants. Parking will be provided
where practicable, but where appropriate,
car-free schemes will be encouraged.
Sustainability
Successful development should be both
sustainable and flexible. The latest standards of
energy and insulation efficiency, waste
management and ICT communications, should
be incorporated into developments, wherever
possible. Adaptability of development can help
to guarantee long-term durability as uses
change over time.
■ Conversion of existing buildings to new
activities will be encouraged.
■ New buildings should be, energy efficient,
easy to maintain, vandal-resistant and
adaptable.
■ New developments should have sufficient
refuse storage space for segregated waste
collection.
■ All new buildings should seek to attain at
least "good" on the Building Research
Establishment's Environmental Assessment
Method (BREEAM) of assessing the
environmental impact of new buildings.
■ Salvaged materials should be re-used where
practicable, both building materials and
setts in the highway.
Stewardship and Security
Safety and security are vital elements in any
urban development. Planning and Architecture
can make a significant contribution to
everyone's sense of security. One of the most
effective measures for community safety and
crime prevention is the creation of lively,
lived-in urban areas and public spaces that
are easy to overlook and supervise.
■ The objective is to achieve a vibrant mixture
of facilities, which will bring life and
animation to Ancoats. Density of
development and mixed uses will enhance
people’s sense of personal safety and well-
being by encouraging a diversity of activity
on the streets throughout the day and
night.
■ Good quality crime prevention measures
should be included in designs from the start.
■ Security measures which foster a 'fortress
mentality' should be avoided.
■ Streets should encourage activity, and
buildings allow casual surveillance of the
street.
■ There should be a variety of routes through
the area.
■ There must be good accessibility for all
people in a safe and secure environment.
Adaptability of
development can help
to guarantee long-term
durability as uses change
over time.
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OLDHAM ROAD
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Redhill Street
OLDHAM ROAD
Lever Street
George Leigh StreetGeorge Leigh Street
Bloom Street
Hood Street
Blossom Street
Jersey Street
Naval Street
Newton Street
Blossom Street
Jersey Street
Port Street
Tib Street
Oldham Street
Swan
Street
Mu
rray Street
Sherratt Street
Ben
gal Street
Ben
gal Street
Rad
ium
Street
Co
rnell Street
Ben
gal Street
Rad
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Street
Polan
d Street
New Union Street
Ro
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Street
ROCHDALE CANAL
Wad
eford
Clo
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Tariff Street
George Leigh Street
Co
tton
Street
Pickford Street
Hen
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Gu
n Street
ROCHDALE CANAL
This zone is bounded by Great Ancoats Street, Jersey Street,
Radium Street, and George Leigh Street. At its core is St.
Peter's Church where there is the potential to create an
area of public open space. This zone is shown on the
opposite page.
Character
This is the historic core of Ancoats, and contains many
buildings which helped provide for the needs of the working
population that once lived here. These buildings include
St. Peter's Church, St. Michael's Church and School, the
George Leigh Street School with its roof top playground,
the Women's night shelter, the Men's Hostel, and various
public houses such as the Edinburgh Castle. The Great
Ancoats Street frontage is characterised by a range of
highly distinctive buildings representing a variety of times
and styles.
Many of the historic buildings survive today including
workshops, warehouses, engineering works and mills such
as the Beehive Mill. The area attracted a wave of Italian
immigrants some of whom went into business within the
area, serving local need. Some of these buildings are still in
use but many are now vacant and at significant risk.
Planning Considerations
The key to understanding this area is the dense small-scale
pattern of development which once existed at its core,
packed closely around the narrow grid iron street pattern.
The continuous street frontages are, however, breaking
down and are gradually being lost, this is most evident
around the Smiths Arms, where the rest of the block has
been lost altogether.
There is scope to exploit Ancoats' long associations with
the Italian community, it was the key area in Manchester
and indeed the North West, in the history of Italian
immigration. Many Italian families have some connection
with the area and for many, this connection still exists as a
result of various Anglo-Italian societies, particularly related
to the Catholic Church of St. Michael's.
The regeneration of this area will be driven by a
combination of refurbishment projects and new build.
Restoration and re-use of historic buildings together
with good quality new development which respects the
existing urban grain and street pattern, will continue
the evolution of the area. There is a real opportunity to
achieve a strong mix of old and new built form containing
a variety of quality residential, commercial, retail and
workspace premises.
A vital step in the realisation of opportunities in this
area will be the creation of a new public space which
will enhance the setting of St. Peters', linking areas of
opportunity and providing a framework around which
buildings can fit.
Village Core
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Redhill Street
OLDHAM ROAD
Lever Street
George Leigh StreetGeorge Leigh Street
Bloom Street
Hood Street
Blossom Street
Jersey Street
Naval Street
Newton Street
Blossom Street
Jersey Street
Port Street
Tib Street
Oldham Street
Swan
Street
Mu
rray Street
Sherratt Street
Ben
gal Street
Ben
gal Street
Rad
ium
Street
Co
rnell Street
Ben
gal Street
Rad
ium
Street
Polan
d Street
New Union Street
Ro
dn
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utler
Street
ROCHDALE CANAL
Wad
eford
Clo
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Tariff Street
George Leigh StreetC
otto
n Street
Pickford Street
Hen
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Gu
n Street
ROCHDALE CANAL
The key to the regeneration of the area will be restoration and re-use of historic
buildings together with good quality new development which respects the
existing urban grain and street pattern.
N N
Overview of proposals for the Village Core
There should be a hard landscaped open space
at the heart of the area enclosed by a
combination of refurbished buildings and new
construction. This is one part of a wider scheme
to improve the quality of the public realm in
Ancoats. The restoration of St. Peter's Church
should include an element of community use,
and the building known as the Ice Plant (29-33
Blossom Street) should accommodate a range of
activities. New, lively uses are to be
encouraged, with an emphasis upon
employment, leisure, and residential uses. The
variety of built form along Great Ancoats Street
should be retained as vacant sites are
redeveloped.
Proposals for the Village Core
More detailed proposals for this zone are:
■ St. Peter's Church should be enhanced by
the provision of quality urban space around
it, which can become a recognised meeting
place. Development around this space
should incorporate activities which spill out
onto it. The provision of active ground-floor
uses (for example, shops, bars, restaurants)
that attract people is essential. Other uses
could include new cultural activities, hotels,
residential, sports, commercial and
community activities. The design of the
public space must be of the highest quality
and take account of adjoining uses.
■ The new public space will unite existing and
new buildings which frame the space. It is
important that the space created reflects
the quality of urban life which should
develop here. This will involve careful
consideration of all aspects of the space
from the surface materials to the lighting
and signage. High quality detailing will be
required.
■ The scale of any new buildings on George
Leigh Street should respect the existing built
form on the other side of the street.
■ The relationship of new development to
Victoria Square should be carefully
considered, particularly with regard to
daylight standards and the activities
generated on George Leigh Street, such as
servicing to units or active shop fronts.
■ St. Peter's Church, through the efforts of
the Ancoats Buildings Preservation Trust,
has already undergone substantial
restoration works to its structure. The
Church building sits at the heart of the
Village, and it is anticipated that it could be
developed for mixed use, with an element
that fulfils a community/social function.
The Ancoats Buildings Preservation Trust is
currently considering the most appropriate
means of developing the Church, both in
terms of design, development funding and
end users.
■ The Ice Plant (29 - 33 Blossom Street) is an
important building in the history of the
area, and played a major role in its
development. Its refurbishment would have
a significant impact on Ancoats. Any
development scheme could include active
retail / commercial uses on the ground and
first floor, with at least three floors of
residential / commercial above. Restoration
of the Victorian Italianate architectural
detailing of the facade should be
undertaken. There is potential for a new
build extension of the Ice Plant to the west,
extending the building line to Sherratt
Street, to provide a strong, quality edge to
the new public space.
■ Opposite the Ice Plant on Blossom Street is a
group of existing run-down properties. Active
ground floor uses with residential/commercial
above will be encouraged. The site is in
several ownerships, part of which may be
required for open space around St. Peter's
Church. Development principles should
include small units (possibly workshops or